25 months, 3 weeks old – fashion show, cashews and nuts

Withrow Park Playground in Toronto

25 months, 3 weeks old:

Nov 4: Had a dream that I was holding the baby while the skin was still around it but a full newborn. Looks like a girl
Nov 9: It’s been a full week and a bit since the other adult in the household is not here and it’s just me and DH managing the day-to-day and meals and babycare and I have to say that while it’s more peaceful, it’s more challenging with just two adults looking after bb. She is used to three adults taking care of her and so when DH and I are managing chores or meals, bb has less undivided attention this week. I’m spoiled by having my mom here with us and it’s a little taste to know what life is if she didn’t live with us. I can’t imagine how exhausting it is for the mom to be taking care of the baby all day long with barely any help (especially if the dad works out of the house too).
To pedal back a bit, this week actually started off on a rough note. I had a biophysical profile ultrasound scheduled at noon on the Thursday, so we had DH’s parents come over to look after bb. I could have gone myself, but it’s so rare of a chance for the husband to come see the child too that of course he came with me to the appointment.
His parents arrived about ten minutes before we had to leave the house and bb was of course timid and hesitant and didn’t want to be around them except DH. I exited the house first and then DH followed. Once we left the house, the poor thing cried and cried and stood right near the front door and didn’t move. It just so happened that the ultrasound appointment wasn’t on time either. Usually, this clinic is so quick and punctual. On this day, I didn’t enter the examination room until 15 minutes after the original appointment time. This meant more suffering for bb. We actually video-called them and saw bb hiding in the corner. Poor thing… Her grandpa kept trying to offer her peanuts (it’s her newest thing lately) but of course she wasn’t open enough to even stand up, how or why would she even be enticed by snacks? She just had to calm down of her own accord and/or once we went back home.
The 32-week BPP ultrasound took longer than necessary. I think the technologist was a newbie. She asked me three times what week I was in and the whole thing took about 40 minutes. Even the anatomy scan didn’t take 40 minutes. When we were just about done, she paused and checked a list on her desk to make sure she covered everything and had all the photos before I could go. DH also again wasn’t allowed in the room until after all the scanning was done. I didn’t like that when they went through the photos afterwards, the screen wasn’t even faced towards me and I couldn’t see what was happening. And I don’t know why I didn’t stop and ask. DH said he saw the placenta very clearly in front of the baby. I also don’t like their new protocol where they not only don’t allow you to take videos (it’s your own baby!) but also the photos they do allow you to take, they take it on your behalf. She said she couldn’t allow us to take photos that showed the header on the ultrasound screen. Sigh. We got three photos, but they’re not very good. If I have more ultrasounds this pregnancy, I’m going back to the Thornhill imaging clinic instead. They weren’t as anal about the photo-taking.
When we arrived home about an hour later, bb had stopped crying. Yay. However, once we stepped foot in the door, it was like she was reminded of the trauma we had caused her and she burst into tears immediately again. Poor thing.
There were two times this week where before I even finished walking out of the driveway with bb in the stroller, she had already fallen asleep. She was so tired. It made for a great instant nap for her and I was able to stroll to my heart’s content.
The other time it didn’t work though was when she kept talking in the stroller and I knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. I was hoping to walk her to sleep, but she noticed that we weren’t going in the direction of the park (so smart) and so I took her to the playground instead if she wasn’t going to sleep…
Speaking of strolling, I had the chance to walk by myself on Sunday since DH had bb at home with him. It’s been such a warm November thus far (before the cold comes in this weekend) that I walked for an hour and enjoyed it so much. However, I must have overdid it and walked too fast (since I didn’t have the stroller with me) and it seemed like I had some fluid come out from underneath. I smelled my underwear and it was sweet and I was momentarily scared that it might have been amniotic fluid. I changed my underwear and put on a panty liner. Thank goodness that it stayed dry overnight. If we had had a leak or a break, we’d have to go to the hospital. And then who would look after bb? Certainly not the grandparents or the aunt or uncle because bb’s not comfortable with anyone! It was such a scary thought. DH was like, “We need to pack our bags right now” kind of thing. So glad I’ve been feeling better, not fatigued anymore, and normal again after Sunday.
DH took the Friday off and we were able to head to Leslieville again to explore more of the restaurants in the area. Bb is so good at restaurants and we don’t have to worry too much about her throwing a tantrum in public. She will eat nicely for the first half of the meal before getting restless and then we’ll alternate sitting with her or taking her to walk around the restaurant. It’s been so good because DH and I can still enjoy our foodie adventures this week. I’ve been so tired though that I haven’t even blogged about the restaurants that we visited. I do and really want to, but it’s not a priority most days.
We also visited a friend who lives in the area and it was so nice to see her and tour her beautiful house again. Bb was all right in DH’s arms and wanted to tour around the basement once we finished the first floor. I guess she is used to visiting all three levels (just like we show to our friends when they come visit us). She knows the routine lol.
We went to the local park too, Withrow Park Playground, where there were so many young kids and families strolling around and playing in the playground. This area of Toronto is so family-friendly and feels safe to be in. Bb enjoyed the new playground structure too. She also picked up a toy truck (also love how they have random toys just in the playgrounds) and another little boy (younger than her!) came over and just took it out of her hands. The boy’s guardian quickly took it back away from him and handed it to bb. Bb is so passive… she needs to be more assertive and not just let others take things out of her hands.
It got dark so quickly at 6 p.m. and we went to Borrel, a small restaurant that features Dutch and Indonesian food. We were just walking in without a reservation (you need one because the place is so small) but were able to sit at the bar table. The staff actually assumed that we wouldn’t want to sit at the bar, but we were desiring to try this restaurant enough that the bar seats didn’t deter us at all. In fact, it’s sometimes a nice experience to sit at the bar because you get to watch the staff make drinks, etc.
Bb was given some traditional Dutch snacks after we placed our order (some peanuts coated with corn) and she kept snacking on them. She did get restless after a while and there was nowhere really to walk around. DH brought her downstairs to the basement restroom twice to wash hands and stretch his legs.
We couldn’t do another restaurant hop since bb was so tired by 8 p.m. She passed out in the car on the way home actually and we were able to get some tiramisu as takeout dessert in the car to eat while she slept.
We went to an Armenian restaurant on the Saturday and bb enjoyed eating the super flat pita bread so much! We need to get more of this at home. She was eating “slice” upon “slice” of it non-stop. I am always so happy when she eats more carbs to fill her up and keep her full.
We visited another new park in Scarborough afterwards. The weather has been so amazing — warm and nice breeze and sunny.
Bb loves supermarket visits. She loves sitting in the shopping cart and always has the brightest smile once we plop her in the seat.
On Sunday for DH’s bday celebration, bb was super uncomfortable and hesitant to even show her face to her relatives. It doesn’t help when people keep calling her name and she isn’t comfortable yet with the person/people. We were seated in a long booth table and it was convenient for bb to just turn her back and look the other way. Maybe if she was in a high chair, she would have been forced to sit up straight and ahead. Either way though, she did not want to interact with anyone at the table that day. It’s situations like these that DH and I aren’t able to get our stomachs as satisfied as we usually do when we’re out and bb is comfortable with her surroundings. She kept crawling and sticking to DH and it was hard for him to get a bite in.
When we were at another new playground, bb found some small rocks and actually tried to put them in her mouth. She knew not to swallow it, but this is a new thing this week where she’s been putting non-food objects in her mouth. She knows she shouldn’t eat it though.
Especially today, bb seemed to act out by purposely putting a bigger-sized lego in her mouth and getting my attention. She KNOWS she isn’t allowed to eat it but wanted the attention. Same thing in the evening when she put a fossilized rock in her mouth for attention… I know she is acting out for some reason.
Bb can hold and eat a good portion of a full banana by herself.
Not sure if I mentioned it last week, but she can also now open her milk bottle lid by herself and close it by herself too. She’s so proud whenever she can do something by herself.
When her grandparents came by yesterday to see her, bb withdrew massively and cried and held on to DH for dear life. I guess she was afraid that DH and I were going to leave her again with them. It took a while for her to stop crying. Again, it doesn’t help when the people who visit us are hyper-focused on her. It makes her withdraw even more.
By the time we were eating lunch at the table, bb was able to hide behind my chair at least and eat some food. But once I tried to move away and she was in sight of her grandparents, she curled up on the floor again. But at least she was talking again and they were able to hear her utterings.
She sound so “low git” sometimes when she speaks.
She wouldn’t wear a coat when we went outside yesterday. It was supposed to be a nap in the stroller but she wouldn’t nap, so I took her out. All the other kids were in puffers but she was in a long scarf and multiple layers… DH had to chase her down and bring her back home, holding her all the way home…
Today, she did a spur-of-the-moment “fashion show” at home. After I changed her poopy diaper, she went into her bedroom and wanted her bedtime doll to wear her dress and clothes. We did one outfit change after another and afterwards, she wanted to wear the clothes and dresses too. This is such a “girly” behaviour. We played dress-up like this for a good portion of the day, twice.
She likes putting on her pants by herself these days. She doesn’t quite grasp the back part of her pants enough so I do have to help her, but she can put on shorts easily. Good that she has the muscle to pull up and pull down pants now. She will need that for potty training.
She’s been enjoying cashews too. She liked holding the small snack bag of cashews and eating them on the couch today.
33 weeks now… 7 weeks (and less) to go. This little one likes to kick up an absolute storm. DH has felt the kicks and movements way more than all the times that he felt bb’s movements (she barely moved much compared to this feisty one). I can see the movements on my belly but once I lift my shirt, he/she usually stops.
Speaking of which, at the ultrasound, the technologist answered my question about what way the baby is facing. She said it’s facing head down. I was so glad, but I can’t trust her words until I see the OB and get the report. I just want to be sure and not disappointed in case it’s not true. When she scanned the part of the feet, it was near the area where I feel the most kicks. Now I know where the baby’s feet are! So cool.
I found it so cool too that when the grandparents were visiting, the MIL was actually watching my belly and actually noticed and saw the belly movements even though I didn’t say anything or put my hand on my belly. She noticed that the baby was very active haha.
I still can’t get up from the bed like a normal person (sitting up and swinging legs over to get up). I have to swing both my legs to the side, push myself up with my arms, and then get up. Sometimes, I actually slide my legs down first and then fold to the floor before getting up. It’s a struggle.
I washed my hair in the shower yesterday and I was out of breath like I had just done some exercise…
My belly is more red near the center this week. The skin is getting pulled tight.
My fasting glucose numbers have not gone down even with the 5 units of insulin since November 2. I self-increased it to 7 units for two nights and there was still no improvement. I e-mailed the registered nurse about it today and she said it was fine for me to up it 2 units every two days if the number was still not under 5.3.
I am not anxious or stressed about my fasting numbers anymore. I can’t do anything about it since it’s the placenta and hormones in my body. Plus, I’m already on insulin and I just have to keep increasing the dosage until I find what works to get my fasting number in range. The self-injection is actually so easy now. I find that if I don’t tighten up my skin with my non-dominant hand before the injection, it hurts and I can actually feel the 4 mm needle going in. But if I stretch the skin as I’m supposed to, I barely feel it. It’s actually now the finger pricking four times a day for the testing of blood sugar that is becoming more painful each day for some reason… I use level 3 because I sometimes don’t get anything from level 2, but level 3 causes a bigger prick in the finger…